Day 502's fabric flashback

Katiedid recently shared some pictures of her lucky teenage daughter's bedroom, which happens to be decked out in the same Marimekko pattern that I had in my dorm room in college. Oh, the memories ...


I can assure you that my room didn't look half as chic as this, but it was pretty much my first foray into "interior design" and I loved it. The pattern is so cheerful and I loved coming home to it everyday.


The seagrass headboard is from Pottery Barn and the pretty pierced lamp is from the Nate Berkus collection at Linens'N'Things. The side tables are Swedish antiques and that red mirror above is a flea market find (Katie painted it red).


Adjacent to the room is a cute little sunporch which was converted to a library with help from a set of West Elm white bookcases and an upholstered chair from IKEA (which is also the source for the red curtains). I don't usually love pine furniture but it looks chic here and really relates to the seagrass headboard. Katie's got great style, so of course it does!

Day 500: budget-friendly holiday gifts

Hard to believe, but it's almost time to pull out the Christmas decorations! I should confess that I gave in and started to listen to Christmas tunes on the radio yesterday, and am headed into full-on holiday spirit very soon. I'll refrain from posting too many Christmas-y things here until after Thanksgiving, but let's be honest, gift-giving is a totally acceptable subject this time of the year.

I doubt I'm alone in saying that the holiday gift budget this year is a little, um, bare. For us, it's totally fine. We've spent big in the last 10 months (hello, bought a house!) and there aren't many things on either of our "lists." But we'd still like to show our loved ones that we care without coming across as total misers. Enter the homemade gift. Here are a few ideas I'm mulling over.


Jacquard dish towels are almost too pretty to be covered in dish gunk. I'd bake a couple of loaves of yummy bread, wrap them in parchment and then one of these beauties. Okay, fine, it's not a steal, but that's where TJ Maxx comes in!


Style Court made a lovely set of stationery with a couple of supplies from Paper-Source and some pretty paper. I love the idea of using rubber stamps or scissors with a fun edge to make one-of-a-kind pieces. And if I can find the time, I may even DIY our Christmas cards this year. We'll see.


I love giving things that people probably wouldn't buy for themselves, and linen napkins definitely fall into that category -- especially when embellished with a fun stamp or monogram. Paint for fabric and a rubber stamp would make for an easy project, or you could have a simple set monogrammed.

Day 499's chair obsession

I just love chairs. It's a border-line obsession, which, thankfully for Wes, I can induldge in daily for free now that I've papered my office with magazine clippings like these.












From the top: Kate Spade's living room, photographed for Spaces; Mary McGee Interiors; Better Homes & Gardens; Suzanne Kasler; Tia Zoldan photographed by Jeremy Samuelson for Cottage Living; via World According to Jessica Claire; Peter Dunham Design.

Day 496's pretty plans

Remember my burning desire for a chest-mirror-lamp combo? Mom to the rescue! She's had this little blue chest stashed in her garage for a couple of months (she rescued it from the same lake house renovation that produced my chair project) and offered to let us take it off her hands. It's in desperate need of a paint job, and my fist instinct was to use up the rest of the mocha brown that we used on the entertainment center, add these ring pulls and call it a day.

But after a week, we both kind of like the blue, and it compliments the chair fabric (Paisley Linen by Suzanne Rheinstein) nicely. Not to mention, half of the chests I liked in the above-mentioned post were blue. And now to choose a blue!


Chinese Blue by Farrow & Ball is the front-runner in this highly-contested race.


And this mirror is the only thing on my Christmas wish list. Pretty please, Santa!

Day 495: rehearsal dinner details

Courtesy of Kimball Hall

While in Atlanta for a wedding last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting lovely Kimball Hall, as it was the site of the after-rehearsal dinner. The two-story Queen Anne-style house dates to the 1880's and is now a charming place for small events and gatherings. In true old-house-loving fashion, I took as many photos of the house as I did of the lovely bride and groom and our friends. At least now I can use the excuse "it's for my blog!"

If I had life my way, this is exactly the kind of structure my kids would grow up in. There's something about an old, gracious house that just says home to me -- especially when the porch ceiling is covered with beaded board painted Robin's egg blue.


The house is sparsely and simply decorated with just a couple of antique pieces that feel right at home without intruding on the decor of the events. This handsome buffet greets visitors just after they pass through the original door with its beautiful transom windows.


A wall has been removed between the two front rooms to create one long buffet room. And I must interject here that the meal that was served on these tables was probably the best I have ever eaten! It was kind of "new Southern" with beef brisket with cranberry relish, pecan and goat cheese salad, twice-baked new potatoes, roasted vegetables, and more. And the dessert! Apple pie, peach-and-blueberry cobbler, etc., all served with homemade ice cream. Divine.*


This simple hearth was over-flowing with white pumpkins; perfect for an October wedding event.


In the new ballroom addition, the tables were decorating simply with mint julep cups filled with flowers in autumnal tones -- sunflowers, zinnias, seeded eucylptus, mums, bittersweet, and even little orange peppers -- and flanked by votives.

Photo by Charles E. Walton IV for Southern Accents

I have always thought that antique mint julep cups would make a lovely collection (Karen Carroll, editor-in-chief of Southern Accents, has one), and now I feel inspired to get started. A quick e-bay search finds them at all price points, though I will definitely read this article again before making any purchases.

*I do not know the caterer, but I'm sure I can find out if you are curious or are planning something in the area. Shoot me an e-mail if you'd like to know.

Day 493

Happy Election Day!

I hope you're all able to make it to the polls today, and that exercising your right to vote is a pleasant experience. We have a lot to be burdened for in these scary times, but let's not forget just how much we have to be thankful for as well. May God Bless America!

(Interior design by Amanda Nesbit)

Day 492: more on pumpkins

Holy moly, where did October go? As excited as I was about (a not scary) Halloween, it was somewhat anti-climatic at our house. We decided at the last minute to attend a party, so I didn't bother buying candy. So of course, we were the Scrooges of the neighborhood with our porch light off during prime trick-or-treating time, and I felt like a dummy when our neighbor brought his two young boys by and we had to send them home empty-handed! Oh the horror.

Last minute party attendance also made for last-minute costuming. Determined not to purchase anything, we weren't left with many options. Wes gave in and spent $7 on a pair of suspenders to complete his Bill Lumbergh get-up, and I employed my red suit and glasses and proudly waved my American flags Sarah Palin-style (not very original, I know). The goal was to be recognizable, so it was a success -- too bad we didn't take a single picture to prove it!


Are you tired of pumpkins yet? I'm not, and most of all I'm determined not to give in and start thinking about Christmas yet! The leaves are just starting to turn in Alabama, people.

Photo by Matthew Benson for Country Living

We never even carved a jack-o'lantern! Is it too late to carve a non-Halloweeny one?


Oh Martha, she sure can make a holiday look good. What did you love about Halloween?

Day 489: Happy Halloween

Spooky, creepy and scary isn't really me, but I do love these dark, dark walls in the home of J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons' 1890 Brooklyn brownstone.


Chalkboard paint in the master bedroom? Hey -- it works!


Erika pointed out that Jenna sprayed the new brass fixtures with salt water to give them a patina to match the reclaimed herringbone floor (swoon!). What a clever idea!

Have a safe and happy Halloween, everyone!

Day 488's budget compromise

I realize I risk sounding like a total snob, but I like nice candles. I like that they come in pretty, simple glass jars that don't have pictures of clothes drying in the sunshine or a barrel of apples. I like that they smell fresh, but not too flower-y, herb-y but not too kitchen-y (did you get that?). And, of course, it's a major bonus that they (usually) burn uniformly and I don't have to resort to burning a votive in the middle of a wax column to get my "money's worth."


Oh the times, they are a'changing! I burned the last of my "good" candles a couple of weeks ago, and finally got desperate enough one night at Wal-Mart to give the MainStays Mulled Cider a try (for a mere$3.48). It smelled delightful enough, but I was still skeptical. I am happy to report that I have been totally delighted with my cheap new find! You can see that I've burned at least two thirds of it, and look how nice and even it is! And it smells just like fall.

Day 487: Blackberry Farm kitchen

Apologies if you've already seen this, but Granny Smith Green has recently added her images of the kitchen at Blackberry Farm to her series, and it is exactly as you would expect: Understated, tasteful, and designed to take full advantage of the farm views!

The marble countertops aren't glaring white, but compliment the gray cabinets, which is a nice change from the ordinary. What look like white porcelain knobs really make a statement on the cabinets and drawers. A butcher block island contributes a little texture, and the green watering cans on the bottom shelf are so charming!

Above, antiqued brass pendants are a stylish alternative to stainless. The mixed finishes (brass pendants, stainless appliances and porcelain hardware) keep the room from looking flat.


To take full advantage of the views, upper cabinets were left off. This seems to be a growing trend, but I'm not so sure I'm organized enough to pull it off. You'd definitely need ample pantry space to make this work in a real kitchen.

I've also been seeing lots of backsplashes like this one recently. The miniature subway-style tile is a fun alternative (click on the photos to get a better look). Simple mouldings and beautiful wood paneling like this are seen throughout the house.


Opposite the big, beautiful Viking range is a pretty little hutch that holds stoneware made by Southern artists. Granny Smith tells us that the beige pieces were all handmade in Tennessee.

Thanks again for sharing, Granny Smith!

And if you still want more of the Farm, Southern Accents had a big spread full of beautiful photography in the September-October 2008 issue.